Except for the mid 15th Century tower, Hillesden’s church of All Saints dates from after 1493. The tower had been a later addition to the previous 13th Century church that the present building replaced. Nothing of the earlier church remains visible, though the font is 13th Century; it might be the original one.

The tower’s windows are in the much earlier Geometric style, but the West door at the base has a similar four centred arch to many of the Perpendicular windows in the main body of the church; wide and shallow. Perhaps it was altered when the church was rebuilt.

The South transept. The vertical mullions, with a horizontal brace half way up, make a large yet strong window that floods the church with light.

The church had been appropriated to Notley Abbey, near Thame since the twelth Century. That is, some of the tithes and endowments given to All Saints (and seven other local churches) for maintenance and ceremonies were diverted to the abbey.

In return the abbey should have maintained those churches, but their neglect of them was “Sadly conspicuous” in reports written both in 1493 and 1519; it was an ongoing problem.

In the 1493 report, it said that the chancel at Hillesden was in such a bad state that the chaplain could not celebrate Mass at the High Altar. The rest of the church was also in very poor repair.

Water (I think driven in by Storm Dennis) lies on the floor of the South Aisle, reflecting the stained glass window above.

It’s often said that the Abbot at Notley had his monks rebuild the church, but the Victorian architect Sir George Scott, who restored the church in 1875, disagreed; he had seen the records and said they described quick repairs that had only taken a short time to do.

Whoever eventually rebuilt the church to its present form, they did a fine job; not many churches are Grade 1 Listed. Perhaps after trying to repair the old church, it was obvious that it had gone far past the point where it was worth saving, and in the end the new church was indeed erected by Notley Abbey.

Exactly when this was, we can’t say, but the windows were filled by 16th century stained glass, and it must have been a glorious sight.

Much of the stained glass was destroyed some time later, though still (probably) in the 16th Century. Cromwell’s troops get the blame, but this vandalism could have been done during the Reformation.

The North door from the inside. The hinges on each side of the frame show that a double door was originally fitted. Just above the third horizontal brace from the top you can see a hole from a musket ball.

On the outside face of the door, this is the same musket ball hole as in the previous photo.

It’s pretty certain that Cromwell’s men can be blamed for the musket ball and pistol ball holes in the North door, as Hillesden was the scene of heavy fighting during the Civil War.

It’s said that the door was originally at the manor house which is where it gained the damage. Perhaps, but it’s obvious from the hinges that once there were double doors there. not the single one that we see today.

The Church of All Saints at Hillesden is a beautiful building. Set on a hill top with only a few houses nearby, it deserves its title of The Cathedral in the Fields. Why don’t you visit it and see for yourself?

Light from ancient glass dapples this quiet corner of the South Transept.